HALMATURUS THETIDIS, Geoff. $ f . C u v .
Pademelon Wallaby.
Spec. Char.—H . vellere mediocriter molli; intense fusco ; humeris, nucha, et colli lateribus ferrugineis ; mentoet gula albis ;
antibrachiis cinerescentibus ; antipedibus, pedibus, tarsisque saturate fuscis ; caudce lateribus vixpilis vestitis, et squamas
epidermidis ostendentibus.
Descr.—Fur rather soft; general colour deep brown; shoulders, sides and back o f the neck rusty red; ears furnished
internally with moderately long dirty white hairs; upper lip dirty white; chin and throat white; remainder of
the under surface dirty white; arms greyish; hands brown ; tarsi and feet uniform dark brown ; tail brownish
grey above and dirty white beneath; on the sides o f the tail the hairs are scanty, and the scales covering the
tail are very apparent.
Male.
feet, inches.
Length from the tip of the nose to the extremity of the tail . . . . 3 0
„ of t a i l ................................................................................................. | 0
tarsus and toes, including the n a i l ...........................................
,, „ arm and hand, including the n a i l s ............................ 5
,, „ face from the tip of the nose to the base of the ear . . . 4-f
,, ,, ear . ...................... ..................................................................... 2
Halmaturus Thetidis, Geoff. & F. Cuv. Mamin., p. lvi.
Pademelon of the colonists of New South Wales.
O f the smaller species of Wallaby inhabiting Australia, the present is perhaps the one best known to the colonists, inasmuch
as it is more abundant in New South Wales than any other. It is strictly a brush animal; and consequently only
to be found in such localities. All the brushes I have visited from Illawarra to the Hunter, as well as those o f the great
range which stretches along parallel with the coast, are equally favoured with its presence; I have also, received specimens
from Moreton Bay. It is not unfrequently found running in the same locality, and even in company with the H. Uala-
batus, although the very humid parts o f the forest appear to be less suited to it than to that species.
As an article o f food, few animals are so valuable, its flesh being tender and well-flavoured, and more like that o f the
Common Hare than that o f any other European animal I can compare it with.
The sexes are precisely alike in colour, but the female is a trifle smaller in size.
The species appears to have been first brought to Europe by the French navigators, who applied to it the inappropriate
term o f Thetidis (after their vessel), which, however, it would not be right to alter. Having seen the original
specimen in Paris, which is said to have been brought from Port Jackson, I am satisfied o f its identity with my own
specimens. I mention this circumstance, particularly as the name o f Thetidis has been placed as a synonym o f Eugenii,
an animal brought home by Peron, and which I now believe to be identical with H . Derbyanus.
The H. Ualabatus must be classed among the smaller Halmaturi, being scarcely so large as H. Derbyanus or H . Bil-
lardierii.